Mail-box.



W. T. BENNER.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22,1916.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917 l xl when@ ms mmm mareas vo mmm uma. wAsmNhmN, n.c,

MAIL-BOX.

Leraren Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dan.. 23, 191W..

Application filed March 22, 1916. Serial No. 85,905.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. BENNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Catasauqua, in the county of Lehigh, State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mail-Boxes; and Tdo hereby declare the following' to be' a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart t0 which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in mail boxes, and particularlyto mail boxes used in rural districts.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a mail box which is adapted tocontain ordinary mail matter, but which may be adjusted to hold a largebulk of mail or large packages.

Another object is to improve and simplify the construction by means ofwhich the device can be quickly and easily adjusted only when the lid israised.

Another object is to provide a novel and simple signal which can bereadily operated irrespective of the opening or closing of the box.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

in the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved mail box;Fig. 2 is a top plan View; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. i is a similar section showing the box adjusted tohold large packages; Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on the line5-5 of Fig. 4L; Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 6-6of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents acasing having` a bottom, the rear wall being higher than the front wall4and having hinged to the former a cover 11. On the under face of thecover are secured spring fingers 12 under which newspapers or otherarticles may be held. Disposed within the casing is a box 13 on each endof which is secured a vertically extending spring member 14 having astruck up tongue 15 for engagement with the teeth of a vertical rackplate 16 secured to the inner face of the adjacent end wall of thecasing. By this arrangement, the box 13 is suspended within the casing,and by pressing the springs inwardly toward the end walls of the box,the tongues 15 can be released from the teeth of the racks and permitthe box to be moved downwardly, to any distance within the length of theracks. Thus the depth of the mail box can be readily regulated so as tocontain the ordinary mail matter, or accommodate large packages. On theouter face of one end of the casing is mounted a vertically extendingmember 17 and on the outer face of this member are formed twoprojections or transverse ribs 18 for reception in recesses 19 formed inthe stem 20 of the signal liag 21, which stem is pivotally mounted onthe member 17 between said ribs and recesses. The recessed portion ofthe stem 20 is resilient so that the projections or ribs will snap intothe recess when the same is turned on its pivot. Secured interiorly ofthe casing and to the rear wall is a coin receptacle 22. The cover isprovided with a hasp 23 while the front wall of the casing is providedwith a staple 24 for engagement therewith to receive the padlock 25.

What is claimed is:

A. mail box comprising a casing having open upper and lower ends, avertically movable receptacle disposed within the casing and adapted tobe moved therewithin and through the open lower end thereof, a verticalratchet-toothed bar secured to the inner face of each of the end wallsof the casing, andmanually operated vertical leaf springs secured to theends of the receptacle adjacent the toothed bars and formed withstruck-up lugs interchangeably engaging with the teeth of the bar tosupport the receptacle at different heights within the casing andthrough the open lower end thereof, thereby increasing the capacity ofthe receptacle.

Tn testimony whereof, T affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

WTLLTAM T. BENNER. Witnesses:

WM. J. ZERBAY, J. H. SIMPSON.

@optan or this patent may te obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner or Patente,

Washington, D. IU.

